Bathinda: Notorious gangster Vicky Gounder was arrested by the Punjab police in a raid here on Thursday, sources said. Gounder, who had been one of the kingpins of the now famous Nabha jail break was one of the last few inmates still to be arrested. He had been on the run since the jailbreak.
The arrest, however, was still to be confirmed officially by the police.
Six people, including militant Harminder Mintoo had successfully carried out the jailbreak at the Nabha jail. While the rest of the fugitives had been arrested, Gounder was still at large and was said to be roaming around Punjab cities and towns with impunity.
Vicky Gounder has a number of cases of murder, extortion, kidnapping and attempt to murder pending against him in various parts of Punjab and is said to be politically well-connected, which had enabled to stay out of police reach so far. He had in fact emerged as the most prominent gangster of Punjab – one who wily enough to frame strategies to get his opponents out of his way. Gounder was allegedly involved in wiping out many of the other gang leaders in their fight for the turf.
As per sources, the Punjab Police on Wednesday had sounded a high alert after the alleged location of gangsters Vicky traced near Gurdaspur.
The police had set up several check posts and blocked all entry and exit routes in the area.
In April, a four-member gang, allegedly led by Vicky Gounder, had allegedly killed two persons and seriously injured two others in a broad daylight.
The killings are said to be part of an intergang fight for turf.
(Further details awaited)